The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-12
The INTERCEssIoN.

THE INTERCEssIoN.
1t appears from the record that Abraham
accompanied the men, whom he had hospita-
bly, refreshed and rested in the vision, on
their journey toward Sodom to a place where
the Plain of the Jordan could be seen. Such
place is described by travellers on an emil
hence distant about an hour and half east
ward from Hebron where Abraham dwelt.
The sins of the Sodomites are represented as
having cried to heaven for vengeance Gv. 10Y.
JEHOVAH had revealed to Abraham the "cry"
which had come up to Him from Sodom, and
that He was about to go down and convince
Himself whether they had sinned according
to the cry which had reached Him. The
men went on their journey toward Sodom,
but Abraham continued standing before JE-
HovAH who had appeared unto him. Though
the men had departed, the appearance of
JEHOVAH remained. The continued presence
of JEHOVAH may have been to his thought
and in his meditation concerning the fate of
Sodom. He drew near, as il were, and en-
| tered into conversation with Him, which is
described in the paragraph comprising our
| Lesson.
| The meditations of righteous Abraham
may be described in the reported dialogue
between him and JEHOVAH, who had declared
His purpose to destroy the Sodomites on
account of their great wickedness: "Wilt
thou also destroy the righteous with the
wicked? Peradventure there may be fifty
righteous within the city; wilt thou destroy
and not forgive [spare] the place for the fifty
righteous that are thereinp" Abraham asks
and declares his conviction that this could
not be in accordance with Divine justice.
"The Judge of all the earth must do right"
| he concludes. AS the result of his "com-
muning" he is finally assured that GoD will
spare the city for the sake of ten righteous
ones who may dwell in it. With this assur-
ance, in which the thought of his righteous
soul rested, JEHOVAH disappeared went his
way], and Abraham returned to his encamp-
ment. The essence of true prayer is illus
trated in this scene. 1t is an example of the
kind of importantly, persistent seeking for
righteousness, that prevails with GoD. A
proper disposition toward mankind, even the
wicked and the worst, is also illustrated in
the intercession of Abraham for wicked
| Sodom.
We are not to behold unmoved the exercise
of Divine justice. Our hearts are to be
| touched by the woes of others, though justly
incurred. We are not to be pitiless regard
| ing the worst members of society. No one
| is so vile that our sympathies should be with
/ holden from him. 1t is proper for us to in
tercede with our Father for the merciful con-
sideration of the case of the wretched and
| vile; not suggesting His want of right
eousness-"Shall not the Judge of all the
earth do right?" not suggesting His lack of
| mercy and -will-"GoD is Love-" but
| expressive of sympathy and fraternity. tits
not question of utility, in the usual sense
of notifications of Divine purpose; of hu-
| man wilfulness or wisdom. 1t is frame of
mind, state of feeling, in which we may
weep with those who weep" as we'll as ''re-
| joice with them that do rejoice."-DT Dem
| arrest.
method of the Divine government is also
declared as the result of Abraham's plead
| ing with JEHOVAH. The few eminently wise
and good are the conservative force of the
nations, the salt of the earth that preserves
righteousness and promotes the we'll being
of the race. Numbers count in the census,
but worth of character avails in history. 1t is
virtue and truth which finally control major
jorities. Ten righteous men may save a city
or nation from destruction; the Zone in a
thousand" rules his nine hundred and nine
ty-nine associates. The minority that main
tains the truth and the right becomes the ma
jority. "One with GoD is majority"
Abraham pleading for Sodom is the type of
the righteous man praying, devising and la
boring for the redemption of the wicked and
unworthy fof that generation, and of JESUS,
"our Advocate with the Father, who ever liv-
eth to make intercession for us" and for the
sinful world. GoD, whose heart is all COM
passion, and whose spirit and purpose are re-
vealed in CHRIST, and in all truly Christian
men and women, will deal justly and merci-
ALPHABETICALLY because justly-with all His
children.
Deep sympathy with the doomed cities is
| expressed IN this bold but humble interces-
sion. 1t is a noble thing to 'say good word
for Others however wicked they are, and
| however we hate their wickedness; for it
shows that we love our fellowmen.-Dr.
Oort, "The Bible for Learners"
But while Abraham and men of Christian
| spirit, and JESUS himself, are thus melted in
| heart at thought of human woe, it is not to be
supposed that the Infinite Soul is Indifferent
to it. Intercession is enjoined, not for His
need, but for our own. "The Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings
that cannot be uttered" (Romans viii, 26).
No one loves man more than Cop, our Fa-
Their: not even JESUS. His own merciful
Spirit pleads for the merciful exercise of His
Justice. "He will not lay upon man more
than right" dob xxxiv. 23). There is
not a prayer for mercy upon the ignorant,
the falling or the fallen, which was not first
framed in the heart of COP, and which is
more than a faint reflex of His Fatherly
emotions. He who intereedes for the afflict-
ed, the sorrowing, the perishing. is but bring
ing the tone of his feelings into harmony
with the Spirit of COP. Abraham interced-
ing for Sodom was in line with that Spirit,
and anticipated the great Intercessor for
mankind. He was refined by the exercise,
and developed to greater ripeness of charac-
ter, and he the better deserves the title of
"The Father of the Faithful. DIR. DemG-
rest.